Of Vampire Bites
by Lady Simantha
Summary: Interconnected one shots of 'Nobles as more traditional vampires AU.' Now reposted from Noblesse Bites.
1. Bite 1

Of Changes and Development

* * *

Most vampires accelerate their aging. They don't even realise they are doing it, the vampire ability to alter ones own appearance once learnt could not be forgotten. Vampires who developed preconceptions of the aging process before learning this skill? They age at the speed they believed they should. It left their souls lagging behind waiting to catch up. It was a common occurrence for these preconceptions were so wide spread. The only accurate age limit in vampire community was the age of majority, it had been set before the preconception developed, and vampires were only taught shifting after that limit was past.

Cadis Etrama di Raizel had never learnt to change his personal appearance, he had no peers that he could remember. He was older than the preconception that affected most of vampire kind. He was likely, as the only one who had never learnt shifting, the only reason it was most not all vampire kind.

'Don't act like you don't know vampires can shift, how many stories have them turn into bats or mist to escape stacking or sun light?'

Having existed from the time his kind had territories in the human world and drank without killing. The appearance of the Lord, a position that he had never heard of before came as a shock, no, the reality of other vampires having 'positions' was a shock.

Apparently as he had dwelled in his house sustained by animal blood there had been many changes in the world at large.

XOX

'Some criminals had taken advantage of their current powers to get more power over humans; giving our race a bad name.'

"What are criminals?"

"You will learn later let me finish"

'Our kind had become prosecuted everywhere except an island, original territory of the lords clan, where vampires were known to the local humans very well. So well the rumours couldn't take hold or their existence be forgotten. Seeking refuge the other decent vampires placed themselves in the clan Leaders' mercy, making her the Lord, so they could live in that territory. At human suggestion a monarchy had been formed.'

"Humans are precious,"

"Yes, as you say."

'You are now in the presence of the vampire Lord, a rank equalling human emperor, and expected to listen to what I say. Or be branded a criminal by the majority of our people and the law.'

Cadis looked around his house; it was too lonely to be called a home. His last visitor was over millennia ago, it was accidental to. He would not mind being in a place with more people. Going to this 'Lukedona' as the blond vampire told him to.

The lord had realised through the course of their conversation that Cadis was far too ignorant to be the rebellious youth he appeared to be. Remembering the rumours that had led him here were recorded centuries ago and only investigated because they had continued to persist. Found he needed to ask a question. The rumours had been so mild that he would be forgiven for thinking it a revival of an old story instead of a new one.

He had only come himself because the sensitive knights had been too overwhelmed by the aura of power to approach, when he had finally sent some to investigate.

"Would you submit to an age test?"

The reclusive soul agreed, curious to what this 'test' consisted of. Only to have a reflective surface placed in front of him.

His reflection matched his appearance as always with the addition of the wounds in his soul. The loss of all those he had know, the lack of company, made his appearance neglected. The Lords reflection in the same mirror was of the same age as Cadis' but bore signs of responsibilities hardening, even though the lord looked physically older in reality.

It meant nothing to Cadis but the Lord was shocked.

This youth had existed longer than Lukedona had, the lord would know he had reached his majority the same year Lukedona declared its sovereignty as a kingdom. He had aged slower than most of the vampire population, far slower than the human population. He had realised early that his people were aging too fast. It seemed he still had not aged slowly enough.

How had this only come to his attention now? The mirror age test was completely accurate, _not mostly_. He had thought the youth of his reflection was the youth of his heart. _It was so,_ but not in the way he had believed.

XOX

The Lord ordered a mansion built for his discovery and gave him the position of his counter, a rank equal to his. To have an apparent youth be called an equal to the lord? Then there were the vampires with skill in feeling the level of their opponents' power avoiding confrontation. Where everyone was aware they served the lord for his authority, providence and oaths generations old. This youth must have been given an equal position for sheer power. So Cadis was known to the rest of Lukedona.

XOX

Moving locations had not given Cadis more company. Everyone was afraid of him, so the vampire youth of an age greater than any of his kind, save the current lord, was trapped by their fear to remain in the mansion the lord had built for him. He was left with the power to veto the lord and his descendents. After all he had never sworn to their ancestor, he was a guest.

Staying in his old house would be better than this, so the lord invested much time in improving Cadis situation. The plans had varying degrees of success and failure. Little did the lord know that none of his plans addressed the real wound the change had caused in Cadis' soul.

There you have the Lord and the Noblesse of vampire society.

* * *

Vampire AU history, a part of it at least.


	2. Bite 2

Of Mirrors and Souls

* * *

Slim had been the chances of getting to see the reflection of a vampire that was not mindless in front of a mirror. Frankenstein himself had only managed it on two occasions. The first time had been pure coincidence.

He had set up a mirror in the foyer of his clinic to calm a patient earlier that same day. The creature had walked in just as it got dark pretending rather poorly to be an emergency patient. He had let the charade go on for a moment while he stared at its reflection.

A starved looking infant covered in blood that had fangs longer than its counterpart in reality. An infant who was looking at floating lights, 'human souls' Frankenstein's mind had supplied, with an irritated expression. The horrific reflection would often reach up to pop the 'lights' causing blood to rain on it. The blood would receive a smile, shocking with those teeth, and the puddles would be played in.

Frankenstein was simply glad that his staring had made the vampire look at the mirror. He creature had been terribly offended and shouted at him, waking him from the daze, before it attacked. It had not occurred to the man before then; the only vampires he had previously seen in front of a mirror had been mindless. They were the only ones that could be taken alive for cadet training. A little wake up to reality before they got themselves apprenticed to hunters. Vampires were said to have no refection because they had on soul. The thinking vampires had their own soul and that's what was being reflected. Twisted as they were.

The second time it was intentional. A particularly nasty vampire lord had turned up and many skilled hunters had been called to help with the staking. Frankenstein had brought up mirrors as a frenzy device if they needed to divert the creatures focus and it had been accepted. The fight had been too difficult for him to give the mirror more than one glance. It had shown a toddler pulling wings off the floating lights. Blood and fangs.

It had made him pay closer attention to the ones that were mindless; it was like a smug the image of those souls, completely burnt out gone. Still it was a visible distortion and the hunter community had been glad when he pointed out that part of his discovery. He had not mentioned the rest; it would mean suggesting strong vampires had souls. As the most acclaimed hunter in the area he had a strong grasp on politics.

...

'So why', Frankenstein thought 'do five vampires strong as a lord wish to speak with me?' They couldn't be hidden residence of the local vampire community, while even skilled hunters could only do so much in a city this large; it was still too small for that many high level vampires.

What's more there were two humans with them who didn't show signs of being mind controlled. He had agreed to follow them when they said they knew where some vampires were. He had thought they wished him to kill the creatures. They did not; apparently this was a meeting where they were supposed to talk. No one had mentioned the topic as yet. The two humans had placed themselves between him and the vampires. Exactly who they were buffering against was unknown.

It was meant to be a chance to talk sanely, so a public conference room had been borrowed, not that anyone sane would be out of home this late. If they truly meant what they said, "You won't mind if I use a mirror would you?"

They all started and glared with looks of reluctance but the one at the head, he gestured for them to quieten down. "Provided you stop pointing weapons at us and do not reveal our reflections to any other it can be permitted." The vampire seemed to see this as a generous concession.

For an actual friendly gathering pointing weapons at the hosts while dressed to kill them would be a bit much, but Frankenstein had no friendly feelings for these creatures at all. No, he was out right hostile.

In half concession he lowered the crossbow and pulled out a pocket mirror flickering the reflective surface in their direction for a moment showed him enough. All toddlers but with no visible fangs or blood, they hadn't seemed to notice the floating lights around them. He put the crossbow on the table, in easy reach but no longer pointed directly at them.

The tension in the two humans visibly dropped, so it was Frankenstein that had worried them.

* * *

If it doesn't make sense don't worry its two pages of a chapter that should be far more.


	3. Bite 3

Of Keepers and Silence

* * *

Frankenstein marched between the keepers with dignity unfitting a captive and no one was complaining about it. In fact the human keeper was giving him proud looks. The vampire one seemed to think nothing of it.

From what little had been explained Frankenstein understood his situation was unprecedented and there was no procedure to explain what to do with him. Since he didn't belong to any family or clan in Lukedona he was being brought to see the Lord who could try to decide his fate.

Frankenstein shifted his arms -relieving the weight of the shackles from the other wrist -as they finally came to a stop before two great doors. The vampire keeper knocked once then stepped back; it seemed he intended to wait. Approximately a quarter hour later the doors opened revealing a throne room behind them and the only occupant standing right before them. The tall vampire with his gold hair tied back in a high pony tail said something in; well Frankenstein predicted it was vampire language, to the vampire keeper.

Both the keepers nodded as the doors swang shut behind him. The blond vampire started along a corridor and the vampire keeper followed him gesturing for Frankenstein to follow. The other human hadn't moved to go with them so Frankenstein stayed put. After a rather large space opened between them the human keeper started to follow also asking him to follow. This time he moved fast enough to walk beside the man.

The vampires in front turned a corner and the human keeper spoke to him. "The Lord has decided to decide on this matter in private with only those who must be consulted in attendance. This will be beneficial to you." They turned the same way as the vampire ahead and the keeper said no more.

There was something deliberate about that, speaking when they were in different corridors, yet the human keeper had used a conversational volume so it couldn't be to remain unheard. The pair ahead turned toward a door and the blond vampire made a practiced had gesture back toward them, the human keeper nodded so that hadn't been rude, it was communication then.

"We need to catch up now," the human informed Frankenstein. He frowned at the man but widened his stride anyway. The lord was 'permitted' to remove the shackles and he wanted them gone. Never mind the physical discomfort or restrictions there was some magic imbued in them that made it impossible to speak. "This is doubtless trying for you but it will serve you well to remain polite to the lord, even if only superficially." Well that was good to know, now if someone would tell him what polite means in a place where no one looked you in the eye it might actually be useful.

Entering the room only the pair of vampire from before was there, the keeper and the blond one. If he had been picking up body language here correctly, which was impossible to say when he had only been in Lukedona one night, the keeper was deferring to the blond one. So he was of a higher position? It was hard to tell when everyone here seemed to wear similar clothes. Well not too similar, they made different things from it but they all wore the same fabric; black with gold edging.

Leaving the room by a different door they entered what must be a concealed corridor; it was much narrower than the previous. A short way along this corridor with the majority of its doors to one side the blond vampire stoped again. He turned slightly toward Frankenstein but not nearly enough to look at him and spoke; more Lukedonian.

Realizing they had reached their destination the keepers tensed slightly; making their postures just that little bit straighter. Frankenstein just glared at the side of the blond vampires head, there was nothing he could do without making his situation worse. There was a moment of silence than the blond knocked upon the door, it opened immediately.

The blond vamp entered bowed and said something that must have been a formal greeting, both of the keepers entered strait after kneeled and said something similar sounding; the same greeting but with their own names perhaps? Frankenstein stepped in a moment later bowed and remained silent. A youthful looking vampire woman at the head a conference table spoke and the keepers rose. She more and the shackles were removed.

There was a short but drawn out silence as Frankenstein rubbed his sore wrists, mostly checking for damage. "You need to introduce yourself," the human keeper told him. He looked at the man and finally someone was meeting his gaze. There were stories of magic involving names but no one had used it in living memory for humans. He could be killed for lying to a monarch even if she wasn't his and he had a low opinion of authority anyway.

"Frankenstein of the hunters' society," he had one stake that the knights hadn't removed if they did anything to harm him he would take one of them down with him at least. The retainers that were seated around her looked bothered by his announcement which was pleasing until one of the addressed the keeper with him and it became clear; they didn't know his language any better than he knew theirs. Well, this would be an interesting discussion to decide his fate.

* * *

If this does become its own story, this scene is already deleted and replaced-to much walking in corridors.


	4. Bite 4

Of lords and Law

There are two versions of this chappie thing. It is set before most but not the last.

* * *

Version 1

"tsuj tis nwod," The elderly human snapped at Frankenstein. Slowly so to prove he was doing so by choice Frankenstein took the set offered to him. It was a comfort, he had been in a standing position for far too long, it was a minor miracle that his legs hadn't given up before now.

He looked carefully at the small conference room; the table was designed to fit eight people it was of grand but simple design, very functional. At the head of the table was a black haired vampire that he had been informed was the Lord, 'bow at her dam it'. Seated at her right was the second of three vampires in the room, a shorter male who had been called 'the shield of Lukedona and the Lord'. He was likely here as a body guard then? The final vampire was the blond who had guided the keepers and himself here; still not introduced or introduced before the translations were provided.

Everyone else was human. Which could have been reassuring given there were four of them not counting himself but they were mostly civilians. Frankenstein knew firsthand how quickly vampires could slaughter when they raged. The blond vampire left the room apparently he had no part in the coming proceedings. It was still a dangerous position, the only human who showed experience in combat apart from himself was the human keeper who had lead him here. The other three were all carrying the bearing of gentlemen who had never seen violence outside a formal duel.

The 'keeper' looked tense, the interactions between him and the others showed he was the lowest ranker in the room. Frankenstein was certain he would have been dismissed already if not for the fact that he was the only one who could translate. It was oddly comforting that these humans' felt safe enough in the company of vampires to stay without protection. It seemed they had rights here which would be useful because Frankenstein refused to be treated as a layman. They better show him some respect.

"Now would you care to explain what is and will be happening?" Frankenstein addressed the only person in the room who could understand him. The younger man started then after a moment's hesitation gave a slight nod.

"Currently the lord is reviewing all the precedence that maybe relevant to your case. When they have all been identified the situation will be tabled and your fate discussed.

XOX

Version 2

Frankenstein was not pleased, he was in a room full of vampires who were meant to be deciding his fate and the only person who could translate had left the moment he was seated. The only benefit he supposed could be that the shackles had been removed. Looking at the group that would try to decide his fate he was struck by their young appearance.

The woman at the head of the table who was quiet possibly the Lord had long black hair part of which had been done up in a complicated bun. She was previewing an assortment of scrolls that had been brought in by a female red haired vampire with glasses. The red head had spoken for a moment with the probable lord then left apparently having nothing more to contribute to the situation.

To Frankenstein's left and what must be the probable lord's right was a shorter vampire male with blue gray hair, who was looking at Frankenstein's arms as if trying to deduce something. Frankenstein was left wondering if he should be angry they were paying no attention to the situation at hand or glad they wouldn't be deciding his fate when he couldn't understand a thing. The sound of knocking broke Frankenstein from his examination.

The door opened without waiting for a reply, a human entered body language radiating authority but no more so than the vampires in the room. The normal incomprehensible greetings played out and the human, a brown haired older looking man- not that it was hard to look older than a pair of vampires who appeared to be in their early twenties and late teens- took one of the three seats to Frankenstein's right. Why was he at the end of this small conference table anyway? It was built to fit eight people.

* * *

I would like to thank all my reviewers and those who are showing interest in this story idea.


	5. Bite 5

Of Blood and Water

* * *

He glanced at his vampire host than back at the room he was being shown. It was an ascetically pleasing room if you could ignore the smell of blood. Various small fountains spouting blood, goblets and tables arranged as if for a court yard social gathering. The fact that he had been shown this room... his host hadn't realised he was human yet.

It would have been an advantage, if the situation hadn't occurred because of a complete lack of common language and his attempt to mime out his need for some water. The guards who had escorted him to the vampire lord in chains had been unaware that humans needed water or food. It had been awhile since he had any and he would need water soon or risk weakness. It was something he could ill afford in this land filled with so many vampires.

The blood fountains could be researched later after he had secured his own well being. If the barrier that made sunlight harmless to his captors hadn't also rendered his enhanced senses mute he would be able to find some quickly himself. His host's ignorance at least meant he wasn't the only one with _that_ disadvantage.

Would this creature raised with blood fountains be able to recognise the difference between human and vampire blood? It may be the only way to make it known he was human. There was ample blood in those fountains if the sight made the creature hungry. He didn't want to do it, not even bleed from a paper cut. Frankenstein surveyed the room again there could be an alternative.

.

Cadis blinked at his guest-Frankenstein the Lords messenger had told him- who didn't seem willing to drink from any of the available blood sources. They had mentioned that he was an outsider and that's why he had been placed in Cadis care. Perhaps he couldn't read the inscriptions as they were in Lukedona tongue. The scent of all the blood types mingled here, so scent alone wouldn't be enough for his guest to identify the one he wanted.

Well if Frankenstein wanted to know what he was drinking that would be fair enough. Cadis grasped two goblets from the tables and gestured for Frankenstein to follow him to a different room as his guest looked at his fingers in contemplation. After a moment's hesitation Frankenstein did so. Cadis led the way to the emptiest room in the house. The only adornment was a single shelf of tools and the rows on rows of taps.

Placing the goblets on the self temporally, he pulled on a pair of heavy leather gloves. Looking to Frankenstein he gestured for him to take a goblet as Cadis toke one himself. Raising a brow of spun gold his guest followed the silent request. Those clear blue eyes made Cadis think of daylight skies' painted by humans.

First Cadis tried the major blood groups Frankenstein didn't like the scent of any of them, had he only been given older blood before? Cadis tried that tap next and no his guest did not like that either; he didn't like any of the acceptable bloods permitted in Lukedona. Maybe that was why he had refused all the blood offered even with the urgency he had indicated of his thirst. Cadis offered the last of the accepted bloods to his guest again, he was refused. What strange liquied would Frankenstein consume? He was a guest still; Cadis went to the shelf and retrieved the two buckets there. One filled with poisoned handles and the other empty he wouldn't be drinking the blood his guest rejected any more.

.

Frankenstein had realised on the third cup in that his host was trying to discover what 'food' he wanted to drink. The thought had humoured him so much that he didn't reveal to the vampire he was a human. He could go one more day without water it just wasn't healthy. Given the way his host had tried to insist on the last cup of blood then collected the handles for the taps that lacked them, they had left the 'decent' options behind.

The wall of 'blood on tap' was even stranger than the fountains. After refusing half a dozen more liquids that might be considered blood and his host was looking at him in a very concerned manner. Frankenstein made an effort to stop smiling; blood would be a serious matter to this creature, but really. The creature seemed at a loss of how to deal with this 'picky eater.' Then he noticed the handles.

They were made of a wood that was well known for being poisonous to vampires. That his host had the fortitude to get near them let alone touch them was dangerous. What else could this vampire stand that others could not? The lord may have placed him with this creature because it would be able to turn him. That was an unsettling thought.

He looked around the sparse room for things to defend himself with and found an alarming quantity. How, why would they be in a vampires house? The creature didn't have methods of dealing with them, did he? Gloves, Frankenstein focused on them. The vampire could not touch the wood outright the common methods still held some effect, they were just minimal. He calmed his breathing and looked up, to see his host staring at him.

The creatures gaze moved away immediately but he seemed to have realised something. He had, the next cup put in front of Frankenstein contained water. It was murky but he nodded any way. Instead of passing him the goblet the vampire tossed it into the 'waste' bucket. The vampire held out his hand and after a moment's panic Frankenstein handed the clean goblet he was holding to the creature. It moved with a deliberate slowness and this time Frankenstein payed attention to which of the many taps it drew upon. Water was from the only copper tap, it had its own permanent handle. He could get his own water from there.

Frankenstein allowed the creature to refill his cup again and again until his stomach could take no more, it would stave off hunger. When it reached the point he could drink no more he had picked up on the creatures change of behaviour. It was moving at half speed when it approached him and would not look him in the eyes. It made him bristle for a moment to be treated as a scared animal, than it struck him.

None of the vampires here had looked the humans he had identified in the eyes, unless it was accompanied by the signs of intimacy. It might be seen as rude for vampires to look into human eyes when they could use Mesmer. If this was true the humans here were citizens not cattle. It seemed unlikely but all the humans he had met had been in some level of authority. They knights who had brought him here had received a reprimanded from their human superior. The slowness was different, his host believed he was the source of the Frankenstein's earlier fear, he was, but that didn't mean the creature had to make an effort to appear less threatening. Unless he wanted to.

Frankenstein could only hope that the knight who had translated his words for the lord returned tomorrow as promised. He would need a decent method of communication with his host. That and lots of vampire repellents so he would feel safe to sleep here. The creature before him was miming out sleeping and pointing toward the door, it seemed intent on showing him a bedroom. Or maybe it wanted Frankenstein in its bed; there was no way to know unless he followed.

The lord had given her word he would be freed from this place in ten years because the mistake was made by her people. Would this vampire respect that? Did these creatures care for honour? They had let him keep his hunters kit and even now he had a wooden stake hidden in his clothes. He would survive and if they proved dishonourable he would escape and bring back an army to destroy them. For now seeing how the sun barrier worked would fill his time, if he found a way to remove it that would half his work.

* * *

Frankenstein was set up and the vampire central order knights brought him in. The human working in the management centre realised this immediately because a human cannot be held guilty of 'drinking blood to the point of death' when they don't drink blood. Lukedona's law is so strait forward it has no method to deal with such situations, political hiccups. By their law Franken needs to remain for 10 yrs and a dozen other things that they got around by dumping him on Rai.

The knight that 'delivered' Frankie to Cadis didn't fulfil his duty and promised to come back tomorrow because he had urgent personal matters to attend. The silly knight didn't even introduce Rai to Frankie because everyone who can get an audience with the lord must already know him.

They had been in the house for three hours when Frankie figured he should try asking for water, he felt reasonably comfortable with his ability to kill vampires. Immune to poisons was a reason to panic thou, if his host can do that he can get past the guards Frankie was going to use as night protection. You can guess at the rest. - Sim


	6. Bite 6

Of Bedrooms and Barriers

* * *

Cadis led his very human guest to the wing of his mansion the previous lord had insisted (built to) be fit for human habitation. What was the current lord thinking giving him a human to look after? Yes, three centuries ago the Adamson family had moved in for a year but they were independent. They already knew everything about Lukedona and didn't need to be looked after. The family only stayed with him because, he was the only one with room for such large numbers of guests when, there was a fire in the human settlements.

Frankenstein's footsteps were echoing from further behind than they had earlier. The human was still upset with him; it made some sense when he had been so rude. _Why had the human been frightened?_ He must have realised Cadis had expected him to be Vampire and ignored the insults till then. _What had he done to scare the human?_ Never mind, Cadis had nil insight into the minds of others.

He would give the human one of the rooms with pluming installed make certain Frankenstein had his belongings and return to his window until the lord provided further instructions. She called on him less than her father but when she did matters were explained better. Had the human reached his age of majority yet?

.

Wearily Frankenstein followed his host, the creature was still confident enough to turn its back to him. Not that figuring out Frankenstein was human would make him more of a threat but it had no reason to trust him. Did specie matter; he didn't know anything about this society except what he had been told by the lord and observed here, vampires may fight all the time.

They entered a dusty corridor which made Frankenstein twitch even before he realised there was more signs of actual occupation here than anywhere else he had seen in the mansion, if you forgot the dust. A toddlers hand prints on the walls, furniture that was relatively new. Humans had been here once, he realised spotting some holy symbols hung on door handles.

The vampire opened two unmarked rooms, closing the first door it entered the second. Frankenstein entered after taking a moment to check it was safe. He entered, it was a bed room. The bed itself was striped to the mattress everything was covered in dust but it had the appropriate furnishings. There were three doors aside from the one to the hallway.

A dull thud brought his eyes to his host who had dropped a collection of slimily aged bedding onto the 'bed' as it were. Still not meeting his eyes it mimed drinking and pointed to one of the doors, obligingly he opened it. Utilises meet a brief glance but his eyes focused on a copper tap. Frankenstein tried it running water, it was drinkable. So this was to be his room.

His host had left when he glanced back so he set about un-inviting the vampire from this room, would it work when the vampire owned the house? At least the process entailed some cleaning so he would be better off at the end regardless.

Frankenstein had barely started cleaning in a more direct method when his host returned. The creature was carrying his bag and slid backwards when it tried to enter his new room. So the un-inviting had worked, it only took two steps going nowhere for the creature to stop. It held up the hand with his bag instead and bumped into something when it was about to reach past his doorway.

Visibly confused the vampire pressed its empty hand against the barrier. Safe in the knowledge he had a secure place to retreat to, Frankenstein grined at the creature. Honestly its shock and confusion was sweet, now he was safe. It stepped back and offered his bag again, this time far enough away not to enter his room. Frankenstein accepted his things than immediately checked the knights hadn't removed anything, vampires couldn't touch the content but there were humans with them.

The only thing he found was the addition of some draw string bags. He opened them to find grain rations, enough for two days if he stretched them out. "Yojne ruoy yats," he host murmured than it left. He did not see it again until the knight returned the next day.

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If I mention a review you can't see that is because this story was originally posted on Noblesse Bites.


	7. Bite 7

Of Children and Courage

* * *

There were three quiet raps on the door frame; Frankenstein looked up from the books he was studying. Long lost texts that had apparently been preserved here on Lukedona or at least in this mansion. So much history and knowledge that had disappeared through the ages.

It was Raizel of course not many dared to enter this place and his host was the only one who knocked. He had taken Frankenstein's requests-translated by a central order knight- very seriously. Making his presence known was a newer one that Frankenstein made after two many times turning around to find the vampire right there.

Raizel was carrying a few items gently in his hands, satisfied that he would no longer surprise his guest he placed them on the table. A square of paper covered in intricate patterns that focused to the centre, a candle placed in that centre and a seal for closing letters left just off to the side. He didn't look at Frankenstein throughout, having confirmed that this was a cultural thing Frankenstein just stared at the creature.

After he first came here he had seen so little of his host that it was easy to forget the mansion wasn't empty; except this was a vampire's house and Frankenstein would not let himself forget. Having settled his peace with the idea of living here a decade -after in depth discussion with the human population of this island nation- it seemed important to get some measure of his host.

Feeling the gaze Raizel moved to look at, well over, Frankenstein. Who turned to look at a cloth covered object he had moved to this room in the hopes of convincing or tricking the vampire to remove the cloth- he would have done it himself but he had been quickly told it was a punishable offence. Raizel followed he gaze and moved toward the object.

Frankenstein was the only other being who would touch things in this house so he wanted the object there, so why keep it covered or request Raizel to remove it. His host looked under the drape and stilled. Frankenstein sighed; so he wouldn't be able to see this creature's reflection. Than Raizel ripped the drape away- the manner reminisce of a child pulling off a band aid as fast as they could.

His reflection was astounding when compared to the vampires Frankenstein had seen reflected before; for one thing he actually looked the same age as his reflection. Another was how there were no blood or fangs visible. The lights of human souls still floated around but there were very few and the reflection was not paying attention to them. It was more aware of the 'black shadow' that was hovering around and giving him sallow cuts.

Frankenstein's mind did not supply him with what the shadow represented as it had the souls but that maybe because he was distracted. That malnourished and bleeding appearance was pulling up his instincts as a doctor and they told him to fix this. Raizel murmured something in Lukedonian -too low to catch and ask for translations later- than turn in a sharp movement and strode to the door.

He stopped there in a sudden but otherwise natural movement and turned back to Frankenstein; had the creature taken offence? No, the vampire was miming something; finger legs walked up an arm, sleeping, a shake of the head and a sharp nod- a signal that that was all. Without waiting to see if Frankenstein had understood anything for that he left the room. Left Frankenstein rather confused about what the creature meant. Footsteps night time sleep no... did it have anything to do with the unlit candle? Frankenstein didn't like making assumptions but he wouldn't be going to rest after sun down regardless.

XOX

No more than an hour after sundown Frankenstein heard multiple light footsteps approach the library. He place down the scroll he was translating and watched the door. A group of about a dozen children entered and rushed up to the candle as soon as they saw it. He glanced at the mirror which remained uncovered; they were all human. What were they doing here?

They did not appear to have noticed him as one child lit the candle, another carried a parchment and the rest sung a chant in the local language. When the chant was over they chattered excitedly to each other and he could not help but chuckle; bringing their attention to him.

Given the manner in which they spun to face him, their faces full of fright, they were expecting danger. Upon sighting him they quickly relaxed as one child exclaimed in Lukedonian. Frankenstein had noticed something off at this point and he returned his gaze to the mirror but no they showed no signs... one child passed between the candle and the mirror and he could see the candle flame through their reflection!

Frankenstein's gaze dropped to the ground as the child approached –likely saying he shouldn't have mirrors out –and three children had only partial shadows. Vampire born, he had heard of them in the human settlement, while still difficult it was far easier for the vampire to have a child with a human than one of their own kind. These children didn't count as purebloods and would live as humans for anything between ten and twenty years but they were predisposed to vampirism.

He smiled at the boy who had approached him, got up and covered the mirror with a flourish. The boy said some more happily than turned to the rest of the group. The parchment child read something out and they all moved on. Frankenstein sat back in his previous position pondering the situation, only to be startled by three raps at the door.

Raizel was there; he made his way to the candle quickly and made a complicated gesture and a mirage appeared showing five candles in a pentagram –one lit. A single flick of one hand and the real candle snuffed out as a second in the mirage burst into flames. He gave Frankenstein a nod of acknowledgement then left the same way as the children.

Frankenstein couldn't think of a place he had seen that expression before, a complex mix of happy pained and sad, mostly covered with resolution or perhaps resolve? Unsettled by the whole affair he put the writings he was translating away for future examination.

The last quill was being trimmed when another set of light footsteps approached. A group of five young girls entered and noticed his presence strait away; well he was in line of sight this time. They took longer to settle down after the fright but proceeded to do as the other group had. This time when they left he followed them. The girls didn't seem inclined to talk to him which was just as well given that he only knew five words in the local tongue.  
They stopped at three more rooms with candles in very different parts of the mansion then made their way through an indirect route to the entrance. Frankenstein walked ahead than moved to go a faster way but was grabbed and the parchment one was holding got pushed to his face. One of the series of symbols was pointed at than the corridor he was about to enter. The corridor had similar markings upon the arch but they were different.

He walked ahead until he spotted one with the same markings. He pointed at them and looked at the parchment girl; she consulted the document and then nodded proceeding down the corridor. They were nearly at the front door when they came across five children from the earlier group, three of which were the vampire born.

A flurry of discussion came upon the children and won boy spoke what sounded like a question to Frankenstein but was shushed before any form of reply could possibly be formed. It ended with for boys, one girl and Frankenstein waiting in the corridor while the others continued ahead. Four more groups passed through with similar bursts of discussion, their sizes ranging between twelve and three people. It ended with ten children sitting in the walkway and from what Frankenstein had gathered five of which had some difficulty whenever they tried to move forwarded.

A single set of loud footsteps echoed, Frankenstein recognised them from the rare times Raizel would approach him in the corridors but all the children stood up looking frightened. As expected his host rounded the corner. Unexpectedly all the children screamed and tried to run away; half succeeding. A girl came back after realising the others could not escape, she posed in a manner that was meant to protect but had far too many flaws for a trained eye.

Raizel looked in her basic direction, a flash of sad pride in his eyes. Turning as if to walk back the way he came, Raizel made a gesture and all the vampire born went quiet. They stilled and started to follow after him as if he was the pied piper. The girl looked even more afraid from this and she turned to Frankenstein seeking help.

"I know even less about all of this than you do." He informed her and watched as her face crumbled at the incomprehensible words. He was worried himself, what was Raizel doing with the other children. Frankenstein reached a hand out to the girl, "Shall we follow him?" The words were redundant but the child reached up and took his hand anyway. Together they followed the creature who had led the five vampire' born away.

* * *

Laryna6, Blue Bird, Zealith, Dark Ice Dragon, Anon, Kryliadarr and an-earl; I would like to dedicate this Bite to you for your wonderful reviews.


	8. Bite 8

Of Parents and Penance

* * *

"I know even less about all of this than you do." He informed her and watched as her face crumbled at the incomprehensible words. He was worried himself, what was Raizel doing with the other children. Frankenstein reached a hand out to the girl, "Shall we follow him?" The words were redundant but the child reached up and took his hand anyway. Together they followed the creature who had led the five vampire' born away.

* * *

Raizel led the way into what Frankenstein figured was part of the human wing but nowhere near his own room. Following him through the first door revealed an external courtyard where a handful of adults were seated. It was difficult to tell if they were human or vampire. The girl who came with Frankenstein rushed over with a shout of 'rehtaf' so he was inclined to believe them human.

"So will anyone explain what is going on here?" It wouldn't hurt to ask and if someone present was fluent in his language there was much he wanted to know. Most of those present just gave him an incomprehensive glance then returned their attention to Raizel and the man he was speaking with, eyes averted; one showed some level of recognition.

They did not seem inclined to answer the question, turning away with the rest of the group, so Frankenstein made his way over. Sitting down opposite the man who could understand him he smile in a menacingly polite manner and asked again. "Would you explain the situation?"

"It's none of your business outsider, stay out." The man spoke under his breath, carefully keeping his tone neutral even when he wanted Frankenstein far, far away.

"I would say it is my business when the vampire who is 'looking after me' appears to be the object of terror. Even more so if he is terrifying children in the very house I must dwell in." Frankenstein had spent enough time here that he was more concerned about the children than himself but this fellow was of the group that thought he wanted to be here. That he had orchestrated the whole scenario of 'false accusation' that brought him to Lukedona.

Really, if that was the case he would have put more effort into learning Lukedonian before he set thing in motion.

The target of his attention looked conflicted for a long moment but decided to reply. "The children were performing a ritual that is carried out every ten years. The vampire born among them are trespassing and must now receive penance, it is an effective method of identifying them."

"You can't tell from the shadows?" The man was clearly keeping information from Frankenstein but that last bit; they put the children in a position to be punished just so they had accurate identification of the vampire born. The question earned him a sharp glance.

"If their shadows reveal them it is only in the light of the ritual. We've had years to find a method of identifying them and this is the only one that consistently works. Besides we must keep our children aware that the vampires aren't safe. Even if the law here supports us there can always be criminals." Now the man just looked tired, like he had been putting all his efforts into something and getting no feedback.

"You say you need to remind them that vampires aren't safe, yet you send them into a vampire's house." The man made no response, "What are they talking about over there anyway?" Frankenstein gestured to Raizel and the human man he spoke with. It was good to be able to talk to someone even if they clearly didn't like him.

"Oh that, it's just the normal. Sir Cadis Etrama di Raizel wants us to take the children home strait away now the ritual is over and Roxon his explaining that they must experience the minimum penance for trespassing at least." Frankenstein stared at the man with rising disbelief; that was normal? When they only did this once every ten years? Then again ten years equivalent to six months in vampire time, who was he to decide what was regular...

Raizel's discussion with 'Roxon' ended when he passed the vampire some kind of bag. Raizel walked off stiffly in Frankenstein's view and the five vampire born trailed after him still showing no sign that they were aware of the surroundings. Frankenstein looked around for the girl who had tried to protect them but she was long gone with the 'rehtaf' from earlier.

Frankenstein, seeing that everyone was intending to leave, followed after Raizel to see what this penance consisted of. This time they ended up in one of the human rooms, it consisted of bunk beds and small onset bathroom. There was no balcony or wardrobe; there were just chests at the end of each bed and a very narrow window. The whole effect gave a military atmosphere but Frankenstein was faster to note that the 'spell runes' that kept this place clean and up to any other standards his host may have were fully powered, the beds premade.

Why hadn't his host given him this room when he first arrived? The lack of entrances was a bonus and he would have felt better knowing the vampire wouldn't know the exact bed he would be sleeping in. Never mind; there were too many possible reasons behind such choices and he still didn't have a clear understanding of the creatures thoughts.

Raizel placed the bundle he had been given onto one of the chests, made another gesture and walked to the doorway. There he turned in Frankenstein's general direction and signed for him to get out. The vampire born hadn't followed him this time so Frankenstein spent some time dallying, looking around this place where the children would spend their penance.

The door closed as he looked into the onset bathroom- a toilet shower and sink-and he heard a lock closing. It seemed he would be joining the children in their penance. It was about 15minets later the children snapped out of their dazed state and 30 hours later when the penance was fulfilled and the children were finally brought home.

The bundle Raizel had been given had held human food and the parents who collected their children had different reactions to what must have been a revelation; their children were vampire born. The thing that stuck with Frankenstein was the 15 year old, whose parents must have stopped him participating when he was younger, and who returned a locket to a young woman. It seemed he at least knew what it meant to be stuck in that room, to be known as a vampire born, he would not remain human and the woman should have a human husband.

He looked at Raizel and the sorrow in the creature's eyes had never been so pronounced.

* * *

This is starting to feel like a full story...


	9. Bite 9

Of Wizards and Writings

* * *

Flipping through the pages of his note books Frankenstein was pleased to realise he had compiled most of the magical alphabet. It wasn't complete but the humans he had been learning from only knew whole words, extracting the reoccurring symbols he had realised were letters was a daunting task.

If he had never seen that book of Chinese 'characters' he may not have realised there were letters in the rune words himself.

The 'keys' to the spells that they drew magic from was always placed at the start of an enchantment so only the most practiced humans would dare cast with this magical language. The Wizard, as the old man had called himself, had demonstrated the dangers by drawing one of the key images on a sheet of paper and throwing out the window.

The paper had burst into flames shortly before it finished floating to the ground. Luckily or perhaps by intention the words were not magical by themselves so studying the runes that made up magic spells was perfectly safe. Why writing the spell and then putting the key image in front didn't work still confused Frankenstein but the wizard had redone the demonstration at his request to prove the futility of this.

The wizard also explained that harder and larger objects took longer to start burning but they were prone to exploding when they did.

Not that it mattered now, Frankenstein had no intention of casting spells this year, he only wanted to know what enchantments surrounded him. Most of them were cleaning spells interestingly enough; the ones in rooms that could be expected to be used constantly had a complicated set of keys that sent power through them once a day. Other in places that may not be used, like the human wing, had key sets that allowed them to be powered as needed. That particular set being used solely in vampire dwellings as humans could not supply power as required to spells.

All the other spells, whose purpose was mostly concealment, were keyed to the full moon; the strongest of frequently reoccurring power bodies. There were stronger ones but they were years to centuries apart and could not be used without much advanced planning or for continuously recasted spells.

This was the evening before the full moon when such spells would be at their weakest. Frankenstein intended to find out what they were hiding. While his stay here over the last few months had proven his host as honourable and kind as a vampire could be, it had also proven that his rank was not just unique but on par with the Lords.

Anything Raizel was hiding would be of interest, or so Frankenstein had thought.

By the time he had found the sixth hidden cabinet through the gaps in the spell that hid it he had revealed three empty containment areas, a pile of roman coins (antiques yes but no more so than anything else in the mansion) and a loaf of bread so stale it could almost be used as a stone. The sixth cabinet held a small pile of rubies, where these inbuilt concealed cabinets? The creature he was dwelling with had decided to use them for any old thing, perhaps?

Going through another cabinet shortly before moon rise he almost dismissed it as empty again upon opening it but he noticed another concealment spell within. Feeling around most carefully he discovered the false back on this cabinet which must be deeper than the others that had shown the same amount of room this 'empty' cabinet was previously revealing.

Pulling out the false back revealed a red stone to hand length in height and as thick as a fist. It was in the centre of a complicated containment circle that fed off the stone itself as the 'key'. Frankenstein knew better than to touch it without more knowledge but he tried to memorize the Runes he did not know so he could ask the wizard about them.

He had only made note of two when he found himself stumbling two feet down the corridor the false back out of his hands, fingers tingling and Raizel, his host carefully placing it back in its previous position. The creature closed the cabinet and held it closed as a neigh imperceptible shudder ran down his frame. "Not safe," Raizel said; one of the few phrases he had learnt in Frankenstein's language.

Contemplating the significance of the event, that was the first time his host had touched him without permission, left Frankenstein unmoving until the moon revealed its self outside. The 'key' lit up a pale silver light, it sent out a thread of light that flowed into all the words of the concealment spell unbroken, even in the gap between words it flowed following the path the writers quill must have taken, well, that explained why you needed to draw the key first.

When the spell was completely lit first the cabinet faded from sight then the spell itself. It was at this point that his host dropped the arm that had held the cabinet shut and turned to leave.

"Dluoc uoy nepo ti?" Frankenstein had made a better study of Lukedonian. His host nodded sharply once in response than continued on his way. Letting the creature go Frankenstein walked to where the cabinet had previously been and ran his hand over the area. It felt like a flat wall, which proved his alphabet accurate; the extra symbols in the concealment spell were for sealing.

The chandeliers were full of diamonds so Frankenstein had thought nothing of the ruby piles found in every forth cabinet but considering this red 'not safe' stone perhaps they were decoys. It was mostly an assumption and didn't explain the other concealed items but it was the best theory he had had all night. The spells were too good to have cast without a purpose.

Moving down the corridor Frankenstein hunted for more spells, the hidden cabinets were no longer available but there could be other areas of the mansion that did the opposite and only revealed themselves on this night.

* * *

It is now it's on its own story [Of Vampire Bites], I think I promised this like three chapters ago.


	10. Bite 10

Of Dawn and Dreamscapes

* * *

So that is where it was, he had heard about the 'sanctuaries' of the vampires. As a hunter they were better known as resting places or coffins but his stay in Lukedona had proved they could be any shape. This one that must belong to his host was an entire room.

That Frankenstein couldn't open. Well he could open it by destroying its sanctuary but this was an investigation not an invasion so that was a moot point. If he wanted to get in he would need the permission of his host –the spells were keyed to Raizel's aura.

Turning away from the large double doors Frankenstein turned toward the statues that lined the walkway. None of them showed signs of hiding mechanisms but that didn't mean it was true; the vampires had magic and mechanics at their disposal.

Three statues through his search and Frankenstein felt a tingle from his extra senses. They had been dulled by the Lukedonian barrier so much that whatever he was feeling would be massive. Turning to a space between statues He watched slightly dazed as five full moon keys appeared and then a symbol that stores energy; the spell script then flowed through hundreds of runes making a large pentagram that was centred in the middle of the walkway.

Frankenstein quickly stepped out of the point that had encased him. The ground inside the pentagram changed in a way he couldn't identify and from the centre raised a globe of, well it looked like distorted air. Most vampire magic was used for purely practical purposes, so what was this?

Reading the runes didn't do much to clarify, it sounded like a gate to some type of dreamscape. The whole image reminded him of the children's courage test a few months ago; were they linked? Regardless the distorted sphere of air was a path to another area that could only be opened once every seven moon cycles.

He walked into it, the sensation was similar to passing through water except he never got wet.

He arrived in a place that presented itself as an alcove court yard, two doors on each wall excluding the one he just came through that only supported one with a wrought iron bench in the centre facing the view; a view so grand that Frankenstein barely registered the rest of his surroundings.

It was a forest but he didn't recognise a single plant, tree or creature that scurried through the undergrowth of canopy. He had the strangest sense that it was very old older than the mansion above.

A bright red bird flew passed and he stepped closer to admire it. The animal landed on a tree branch not far away, Frankenstein drew a sharp breath recognising it from folk lore. A phoenix; known to have unsurpassed healing powers and a tendency to burst into flame.

Frankenstein stepped forward off the paved courtyard into the dense undergrowth of this tropical forest. He felt a little light headed but continued forward wondering if he could tame the bird. Stepping on a twig that broke under his weight, Frankenstein stumbled, and the bird took notice of his presence.

It doubled in size burst into flame and flew at him in a hostile manner. Frankenstein went to back away and dodged the first swoop but the light headedness made him dizzy and he fell to the ground. The phoenix swooped at him again and he wondered in a vague manner just how badly he would be burnt.

A hand covered his mouth and he struggled instinctively as his nose was also blocked. The movements felt strangely weak. He vision cleared and the light headedness left him; Frankenstein belatedly realised he was suffering from hyperventilation which didn't make a bit of sense unless the oxygen levels where abnormally high. That was actually possible.

Vision focusing he saw Raizel above stoping him from breathing and the phoenix perched on his hosts shoulder. Still a little giddy he reached for the bird which took off and ended up brushing Raizel's cheek instead. Letting his arm drop Frankenstein realised that the creature was looking straight at him.

The hand was removed slowly and Frankenstein made himself take small irregular breaths as he was bodily guided through a silver wall that proved to be the way back into the court yard. Noticing the change in air density this time he stopped the guiding hands that were leading him to a very real looking door that he assumed was the exit.

"I hsiw ot yats ereh dna kool." Frankenstein told his host. There was a momentary hesitation than the hands on his shoulders left and the creature seated itself on the wrought iron bench. Spending a moment to stabilize his breathing Frankenstein looked to the other doorways. There could be more mythical creature beyond them

XOX

Raizel watched carefully as his guest walked around the absent space that linked the five pocket dimensions and his own mansion. Most people who found their self here failed about and couldn't move but Frankenstein had managed to enter one of the dimensions. It was stunning.

The humans moved as if he was still in a dimensional space not between actual locations and perhaps for him it was. To Raizel it was just a grey area not unlike the mental plain where five red orbs floated around a silver one connected by a pentagram of spiritual energy.

Frankenstein may be moving like he was in a dimension but his body didn't travel that way. Whenever he reached one of the energy lines he would disappear and then reappears at another line entirely.

The human moved around a lot and looked at the red globes (each its own small dimension) until he had seen all of them. When Frankenstein got too close to a globe it would open to permit him entry which continually worried Raizel. There was no guarantee that he could save his guest if the human entered a hostile pocket dimension.

Time passed and Raizel felt the waning energy in the silver globe that would take them home. So he reached out and grasped the human's sleave and led him back through it.

Safely returned to his house Raizel realised it was almost sunrise, the sun in Lukedona could not but he had spent his youth outside. A moments hesitation and he went to the east wing to watch the dawn, it was not something he had done before, instincts dictating that dawn was the time to hide from the sun.

Spotting an east facing window he dropped his guest's sleave and stepped toward it. Raizel's grip on the sill was tight enough to dent the stone. The human remained beside him so he found the strength to watch the dawn. It was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen; when it was hanging in the sky he turned to his guest joyfully only to see a smile gracing the human's face as Frankenstein beheld him and that was even more beautiful.

* * *

Ah this is nice, I have two more things I want to do with this AU, it doesn't have a proper ending thou.

Dedicated to the moving home 'stories' celebration. Hello [Of Vampire Bites] Please review -Sim


	11. Bite 11

Of Travel and Time

The bold is for Lukedonian language,

* * *

Water lapped on the small beach and Frankenstein was struck anew by the strangeness of vampires having apparently migrated to this island. This specie refused to cross running water even if it was a creek that they could step over and only touch dry ground. How did they cross the sea?

He glanced at his host who organised this trip when he asked to retrieve some belongings from home and new that the answer would soon become apparent.

If the histories kept within the human libraries were accurate this wouldn't be the first time Raizel went on a sea voyage short though it was but it should only be the second in... _how many centuries_?

A row boat showed up and Frankenstein dropped his current line of thought to help the crew bring it further up on shore at their insistence. All the supplies Frankenstein had packed for the journey and one bag of Raizel's were stored in a compartment made at the stern of the boat.

Raizel stepped into the boat and sat down in the centre without anyone's prompting while the boat was still landed. The crew quickly moved to push the boat into the water and, realizing there was no way to get a vampire to step into a sea bourn boat, help them move the vessel into the waves before his host could jump off. It was heavy but they succeeded leaving Raizel to sit still like a statue as everyone else boarded.

" **That was impressive Sir; most of your people need to be blindfolded so they don't bolt**." Raizel didn't respond and looking at his hosts dilated eyes Frankenstein doubted if he had even heard in the first place.

" **I'm sure he would be embarrassed by the undeserved praise if he could hear you** ," Frankenstein informed the boatmen.

The man just shrugged off the comment, " **The Sir is still impressive, those beings normally bolt before hitting the water at least four times before we get it deep enough that getting off means going over the water**." Frankenstein had nothing to say to that, he didn't have experience with vampire boating. When the central order brought him over they had kept him hooded the whole time.

They were wrenched up to the ship that would take them to Frankenstein's home country. The boatmen pulled the entire luggage from the compartment correctly identified Raizel's by the gold trim on bag. For what purpose? They started rummaging through it.

" **What do you think you're doing**?" Frankenstein demanded.

" **Looking for the home soil to line his coffin with** ," the crewman replied in a distracted manner.

 **"There was none to pack, I was not turned**." Everyone jumped when Raizel spoke. He was now standing in the middle of the boat and eyeing the gap between it and the ship. A breath of wind and he wasn't there anymore. Turning Frankenstein found him at the centre mast, faint tremors racking his body.

The awed faces in the surrounding crewmen told Frankenstein all he need to know about their experience with that. Raizel was looking pointedly anywhere but the sea.

" **Do you have port holes**?" Frankenstein hadn't seen any but it was night and he could have missed them in the darkness.

" **No, we need to keep the sun from reaching our unholy passengers,** " He looked at me in a contemplative manner, " **would you be Frankenstein**?".

" **Yes,** " did they not know who their passengers were?

" **Then that was Sir Raizel, the rumours don't do him justice**."He had been here two years already, Frankenstein knew quite a few rumours surrounding his host but none of them related to sea travel. Surely the man realised the vampire he was referring to was right there in front of him.

XOX

An hour latter and Raizel was in one of the hold cabins with no view of the sea and much improved after from his fright. It was still a mystery why Raizel had chosen to come along but if the vampire wanted to experience terror that was up to him. Perhaps the real mystery was why Frankenstein had asked his permission to leave at all.

A few weeks of sea travel and Frankenstein was starting to feel the effects of poor diet and had discovered Raizel was even less talkative when stressed. Not that the vampire expressed his feelings but Frankenstein could see how much he tensed when the boat listed a little more than usual to one side.

By the end of the month Frankenstein had run out of things to do, he had analysed all his notes quizzed the crew so much on shipping that he could captain the vessel or another of it make and was looking forward to dry land and a veggie stew to offset all the meat he had consumed on this voyage.

To think it was only the first leg on his journey home.

Getting Raizel off the ship was even tenser than getting him on. It was sunny and the vampire had to make shore his skin was covered at all times while moving. The crew also found this impressive but there was an added irritation that it would have been much easier to send the creature to shore in the coffin.

Why hadn't they put him on the ship that way? Apparently it was illegal in Lukedona, a rule made to discourage would be criminals from going and terrorising human populations.

His travelling companion had some way to move around through the day that was good to know. As a vampire hunter, _could he still call himself that?,_ Frankenstein was not willing to make excuses for a nocturnal travelling companion. Fearing vampires made a person protect themselves; which was why the parents supervising the courage test made Raizel play the bad man to the half bloods that entered his mansion.

All the children would remember the people from their peer group who didn't make it out that night. In a land where vampires had other food sources and where generally helpful it would be too easy to fall into complacency. They were a predatory specie humanity had to remember that. Frankenstein had to remember that, no matter how much the time he spent with Raizel had him thinking they could be so much more.

* * *

Lol, I feel like I'm writing this one shot series as a proper series in the same manner as Astraea was written.


	12. Bite 12

Of Home Coming and Heart Ache

* * *

"Are you alright?" Frankenstein asked his vampire companion. They had hitched a ride on the back of a cart and Raizel was wrapped in so many layers of clothing he couldn't see. Some sun light could still get to him; by nature cloths were woven and had holes throughout.

"I'm fine." Came the muffled response from the bundle that was Raizel. After getting dressed from crown to toe the vampire had donned his cloak giving his exterior the appearance of a preacher. It was slightly ironic but for the best; Frankenstein hadn't needed to come up with excuses for Raizel.

They were almost halfway through the journey, almost at Frankenstein's old home. Old...no, his real home. When this foolishness of dwelling on Vampire Island came to an end it was where he would return. Feeling unsettled Frankenstein returned his gaze to the passing fields. They would reach town in an hour and Frankenstein needed to decide if he would invite Raizel into his home or let him suffer outside until nightfall.

There wasn't much of a choice in the end Frankenstein had converted part of his house into a treatment room and medicine store. Even if the domestic area would be left alone other people still used his home for shelter, Frankenstein could risk himself but not them.

It was a very good thing there was still day time when he returned, by the way everyone was recreating to his sudden appearance Frankenstein was believed to be dead. They also completely ignored Raizel's covered figure trailing behind him.

Without prior direction Raizel continued on passed his house when Frankenstein stepped inside the shop front. It was no surprise for Frankenstein to see Tesume his shop assistant and medical apprentice at the counter; the same could not be said of the other.

"Professor, your back. Everyone was saying you were arrested and executed for misconduct! Who took you away? Will you show me how to make..." Tesume trailed off as he noticed Frankenstein holding up his hand. The lad could ask one hundred questions if you let him.

"I am not at liberty to say who took me away and I'm not back for good." Frankenstein sighed, "I take it that if they thought me executed the property has been distributed according to my will?" He had left the house and shop to Tesume but his hunting gear was to be delivered to the cadet section of the Hunter association. His small fortune was to be split up over a multitude of people who could use it well...

"Almost, your belongings have been split as requested but the money is still under debate. You could get that back if you asked." It would take more than asking to wrestle money off those foolish enough not to accept what was willed to them as is.

He wouldn't be able to return here truly would he?

"Do you mind if I collect some keep sakes? Not much it is your inheritance."

"Of course you may! They were yours to begin with." The realisation started to set in, "You're really not returning?" The lad looked a bit lost but he was seventeen now and capable of looking after himself. That hadn't always been the case.

Frankenstein went upstairs and was slightly irritated to realise that his room had been left alone to the point of gathering dust. Habitually he made the gesture that would have the spells in Raizel's mansion hurrying to clean it up before he realised they didn't exist here.

Shaking off a sense of loss he pulled out all the prepacked bags he had encase of emergency, one for each type. He settled at his desk where he had spent many an evening researching, medicine, vampires and other things. All things he could do in Raizel's house alone with magic and runes and...

It had been good to see the people he knew were still alive and well even if the flinched when they noticed him as if a ghost had come back from beyond. It was good to be surrounded by his positions even if they were no longer considered his in the eyes of the law. Sailors were given seven years lost at sea before they were considered dead, Vampire hunter only had a month.

The time it took to become a thrall.

In Lukedona he had plenty of time to learn about the specie he still called Vampires and they were not undead, dammed by God. While the ones he had hunted here were rabid and needed to be put down that was not all there was to them.

Did he not live with proof of that? These were not ideas he could carry with him outside Lukedona, moving to the human settlements there was an option but leaving all together? No, it was little wonder that most of their youth elected to return after their coming of age ceremony.

Packing another bag, this time with sentimental superfluous things. Raizel and he could spend a night in tents just outside the city; it would be for the best. Until then he would go threaten the court to reclaim his fortune if it was not divided as he willed it and buy some Lukedona contraband from the hunter association while it was still light.

He went downstairs' to see Tesume closing shop early and could not bring himself to object when the lad insisted on spending the rest of the day with him. This was someone he wanted Raizel to meet.

XXX

Frankenstein was so proud when he pointed out Raizel Tesume had pulled him to a stop and immediately checked for the signs of a thrall. There were none to be found, even if Raizel exhibited many signs of a vampire for anyone who cared to look.

Tesume could doubtless see it on his face that he knew exactly what kind of creature Raizel was; it was a true act of faith that the lad decided to let Frankenstein introduce him to the vampire. Then stay with Raizel as Frankenstein dropped in to the courts and the association.

The lad finally begged his leave after seeing Frankenstein direct Raizel through setting up a tent; he seemed to have dropped the idea of reporting Raizel to the hunters association. So shortly before sundown they were left on their own. After declining Raizel's offer to put up wards Frankenstein prepared for a busy night acting as bait.

It wouldn't do to leave without reducing the number of mutants about.

* * *

What interconnecting one shots? This is basically a chapter story, they don't make sense on their own or get regular updates or have a planed plot line or any of the other things I associate with chap stories... Yeah, still calling it interconnecting one shots.


End file.
